Makeup lessons will not be given for ANY reason.

"Why Can't I Have A Makeup Lesson?"

Throughout the year, Mrs.Ward receives many requests for makeup lessons. Very often, the reasons for the

missed lessons are unavoidable-- it may be anything from mandatory or optional school activities, parent

work schedules, doctor's appointments, traffic changes, or even bus delays.  Any number of things can come

up that truly are out of our control.

Still, the studio maintains a no makeup lesson policy.  If you have ever wondered why, please, take a few

minutes to read the article posted below entitled "Makeup Music Lessons from an Economist's Point of View."  

It helps shed some understanding on the solid reasoning behind this industry standard for makeup lessons,

and helps to bridge the gap between parent and teacher on this subject.  


Make-Up Music Lessons from an Economist's Point of View
By Vicky Barham, Ph.D.

I'm a parent of children enrolled in Suzuki music lessons.  I'd like to explain to other parents why I feel-

quite strongly, actually- that it is unreasonable of we parents to expect our teachers to make up lessons we

miss, even if I know as well as they do just how expensive lessons are, and, equally importantly, how important

that weekly contact is with the teacher to keeping practicing ticking along smoothly.  I think that it is natural for

we parents to share the point of view that students should have their missed lessons rescheduled, but if we were

to "walk a mile" in our teachers' shoes, we might change our minds about what it is reasonable for us to expect

of our teachers.
 
Like many parents, I pay in advance for lessons each term.  In my mind, what this means is that I have reserved

a regular spot in the busy schedules of my sons' teachers.  I understand- fully- that if I can't make it to the lesson

one week (perhaps my son is sick, or we are away on holiday, or there is some other major event at school) then

we will pay for the lesson, but that my teacher is under no obligation to find another spot for me that week, or to

refund me for the untaught lesson.  And this is the way it should be.

In my "other life" I am an economist and teach at our local university.  Students pay good money to attend classes

at the university; but if they don't come to my lecture on a Monday morning, then I am not going to turn around

and deliver them a private tutorial on Tuesday afternoon.  When I go to the store and buy groceries, I may purchase

something that doesn't get used.  Days or months later, I end up throwing it out.  I don't get a refund from the

grocery store for the unused merchandise.  If I sign my child up for swimming lessons at the local pool, and s/he

refuses to return after the first lesson, I can't get my money back.  So there are lots of situations in our everyday

lives where we regularly pay in advance for goods or some service, and if we end up not using what we have purchased,

we have to just "swallow our losses."  On the other hand, if I purchase an item of clothing, and get home and change

my mind, I can take it back and expect either a refund or a store credit.

So why do I believe that music lessons fall into the first category of 'non-returnable merchandise,' rather than into the

second case of 'exchange privileges unlimited' (which I think is one of the advertising slogans of an established women's

clothing store)?  Speaking now as an economist, I would claim that the reason is that items like clothing are 'durable

goods' - meaning, they can be returned and then resold at the original price - whereas music lessons are non-durable

goods - meaning, once my Monday slot at 3:30 is gone, my son's teacher can't turn around and sell it again.  The only

way she would be able to give him a lesson later in the week would be if she were to give up time that she had scheduled

for her own private life; and that seems pretty unreasonable - I can't think of many employees who would be thrilled if

their bosses were to announce that they couldn't work from 3:30- 4:30 this afternoon, but would they please stay until

6:30 on Thursday, because there will be work for them then!  Many teachers hesitate to refuse our request to shift lesson

times (because our busy schedules *do* change), because unless they keep us parents happy, we will decide to take our

child somewhere else for lessons (or to drop musical study), and they will lose part of their income.  This is particularly

true in areas with lower average income, where it can be particularly difficult to find students.  So rather than telling us

that 'well, actually, the only time when I'm not teaching and that you can bring your son for a lesson is during the time

I set aside each week to go for a long soul-cleansing walk, and I *can't* do that on Monday at 3:30 when you should have

turned up,' they agree to teach us at a time that really doesn't suit their schedule.  Teachers who are 'nice' in this way often,

in the long run, end up exhausted, and feeling exploited; they try to draw a line in the sand.  However, too few parents only

ask to switch only when absolutely necessary, and too many parents want lesson times when it suits them this week, which

is not the same time that suited last week.

The only time I would feel entitled to discuss another lesson time would be (i) I was doing something for the Suzuki school

the other event happens during my lesson time; (ii) my teacher were to ask us to participate in some other activity

(e.g, orchestra, etc.) and that other activity were to create the conflict.  If the conflict arises because my child is in the School

play, and they have their dress-rehearsal during his lesson time, then I feel that I must choose between the two activities,

and if he attends the dress rehearsal my private lesson teacher doesn't owe me anything.

During May, my eldest son will be missing three lessons because he is going to accompany me on a trip to New Zealand to

visit his great-grandparents.  I do not expect my son's teacher to refund me for those missed lessons, or to reschedule them

by 'doubling up' lessons in the weeks before or after our departure.  Since there will be lots of advanced notice, I might ask

her to consider preparing a special 'practice tape' for that period, or to answer my questions via email, but if she doesn't

have the time (the second half of April is going to be really busy for her, and she wouldn't be able to do the tape until more

or less the week we left) and so has to refuse, then that's fine.  I certainly don't expect her to credit me with three makeup

lessons; there is no way for her to find a student to fill a three-week hole in her schedule during our absence.  Instead, I

hope that she will enjoy the extra hour of rest during those weeks, and that we will all feel renewed enthusiasm when we

return to lessons at the end of the trip.

Article Copyright 2001 Vicky Barham

Vicky Barham, Ph.D., is the mother of two children who are enrolled in Suzuki music lessons in Canada.  She also teaches

Economics at the University of Ottawa.  The TMTA webmasters became acquainted with Dr.Barham through the Internet

and were so impressed with her sound and logical expressions about music teaching that we asked permission to publish

her ideas for all to share.  Thank you to Dr.Barham for so generously sharing her expertise with us.